I realised today that one of the four police officers who were killed in the crash at the weekend, Declan Greene, was a few years ahead of me in school. He let me play football..when the lads were really stuck!
Many of us, me included, sometimes take it a bit fast on the roads and we arent in an armoured landrover.
This Christmas we need to slow it down a bit and give ourselves that extra 5 minutes to get where we are going.
It will be a heartbreaking Christmas this year for these four families and unfortunately many others this year. Lets remember them by slowing it all down. Lord rest the dead and help their families at this incredibly hard time. R.I.P.
Wednesday, 26 November 2008
Monday, 24 November 2008
Get on With It!
I attended a business breakfast organised by the Alliance Party this morning. The room at the Park Avenue was heavily attended by the usual representatives from PR and Public Affairs agencies but there was also a good turn out from the construction industry, Enterprise Northern Ireland and the Utility Regulator amongst others.
Both David Ford and guest Brian Ambrose (CBI/Belfast City Airport) had a similar message for our Executive ministers. GET ON WITH IT!
Industries from across Northern Ireland are suffering. The construction industry is perhaps the most high profile sector but soon as belts tighten inspite of a 2.5% cut in VAT other industries will suffer - including manufacturing retail and other sectors. The Executive given the limited powers it has must set aside ALL petty arguments and if necessary leave some debates to a more suitable time.
Now is the time to act together (All Party Lobbying at Westminster, Dublin and Brussels) for the benefit of the communities across the North and across this island. Failure to meet these challenges with new ideas and fully joint action will mean our economy will suffer and families will suffer unemployment and high prices.
The electorate has forgiven much in the past but is there a limit and if so are our politicians approaching it?
Both David Ford and guest Brian Ambrose (CBI/Belfast City Airport) had a similar message for our Executive ministers. GET ON WITH IT!
Industries from across Northern Ireland are suffering. The construction industry is perhaps the most high profile sector but soon as belts tighten inspite of a 2.5% cut in VAT other industries will suffer - including manufacturing retail and other sectors. The Executive given the limited powers it has must set aside ALL petty arguments and if necessary leave some debates to a more suitable time.
Now is the time to act together (All Party Lobbying at Westminster, Dublin and Brussels) for the benefit of the communities across the North and across this island. Failure to meet these challenges with new ideas and fully joint action will mean our economy will suffer and families will suffer unemployment and high prices.
The electorate has forgiven much in the past but is there a limit and if so are our politicians approaching it?
World War 2 and Kilkeel
I had the cold and wet pleasure of acting as a tour guide to my brother in law this weekend. His grandfather had served in the American forces in Kilkeel in 1943 for 9 months before being shipped to England and then the Normandy beaches.
An area known as Cranfield was a huge US Air Force and Army base during the war and it also housed thousands of US Troops. Not much remains now but it is easy to see the area around the airbase as all the hedges are made out of bits of runway. A few machinery shops, a hospital, a radar station (now housing nothing more secret than some cows) it even looks like the old air control tower that we used to play in as kids has been knocked down.
We went up into the mountains were the famous General Patton rallied the troops before they headed for D-Day. It was a cold but lovely weekend. Sadly the best tour guide in the family wasnt available but hopefully was looking down pleased I hadnt forgotten too much.
An area known as Cranfield was a huge US Air Force and Army base during the war and it also housed thousands of US Troops. Not much remains now but it is easy to see the area around the airbase as all the hedges are made out of bits of runway. A few machinery shops, a hospital, a radar station (now housing nothing more secret than some cows) it even looks like the old air control tower that we used to play in as kids has been knocked down.
We went up into the mountains were the famous General Patton rallied the troops before they headed for D-Day. It was a cold but lovely weekend. Sadly the best tour guide in the family wasnt available but hopefully was looking down pleased I hadnt forgotten too much.
Friday, 21 November 2008
What can we give back?
I read in the Irish News today that the First and Deputy First Minister have been invited to attend the Fortune 500 Business Forum in the United States. This will afford them the opportunity to seek more investment in the economy here. Several times a year our Ministers go to the US to seek investment. One question what are we giving back? It is after all cheaper to get goods produced in eastern Europe - with both production and wage costs lower - making up for the difference in logistics (Dell).
I recently spent several weeks on the Obama Campaign principally in Ohio. An exciting experience. Cleveland has or had an economy that was particularly dependent on the manufacturing industry which is now under significant threat. There are also areas of high deprivation and poverty in this city. Obama has said in several speeches that he needs to protect US jobs by removing the tax breaks on companies that send jobs overseas. How can Ireland remain in the good books?
One way to perhaps give something back, help our US cousins and put Ireland North and South in a good light for continued support and investment comes from the experience of the Celtic Tiger. The Tiger is envied throughout the world. Why not find a way to mix our calls for investment with a commitment to share our positive experiences, business know-how and government policines with areas like Cleveland in the US so that they and us in return can prosper.
If this proves successful then as the world faces global economic recession Ireland may have found a new export as well as creating significant good will to keep our economy on track.
I recently spent several weeks on the Obama Campaign principally in Ohio. An exciting experience. Cleveland has or had an economy that was particularly dependent on the manufacturing industry which is now under significant threat. There are also areas of high deprivation and poverty in this city. Obama has said in several speeches that he needs to protect US jobs by removing the tax breaks on companies that send jobs overseas. How can Ireland remain in the good books?
One way to perhaps give something back, help our US cousins and put Ireland North and South in a good light for continued support and investment comes from the experience of the Celtic Tiger. The Tiger is envied throughout the world. Why not find a way to mix our calls for investment with a commitment to share our positive experiences, business know-how and government policines with areas like Cleveland in the US so that they and us in return can prosper.
If this proves successful then as the world faces global economic recession Ireland may have found a new export as well as creating significant good will to keep our economy on track.
Tuesday, 18 November 2008
Executive to meet on Thursday!
In the words of the statement from OFMDFM today "the most difficult issues have been resolved satisfactorily". So no more major hold ups over when we will have policing and justice devolved and who will be the Minister - well that is a relief! Hmmm
Right then its time for the Executive to be doing what it should have been doing for over 150 days - meeting and getting on with the job of helping people and business across Northern Ireland face the oncoming recession.
So what will be on the agenda for the Executive Meeting?
Right then its time for the Executive to be doing what it should have been doing for over 150 days - meeting and getting on with the job of helping people and business across Northern Ireland face the oncoming recession.
So what will be on the agenda for the Executive Meeting?
- Irish Language Act - gone but covered in some Minority Langauages legislation
- Economic Package for Business - part of this could be limited rates relief
- An Education Review - no the post primary debate has not been sorted - the review will ensure that the new Education and Skills Authority, proposed under the Review of Public Administration can go ahead
- Package on Fuel Poverty
- Parking of the Maze Stadium - and any hopes of us getting anything slightly meaningful from the Olympics?
The Press Release also says that following the meeting on Thursday the Executive will revert to their normal fortnightly meeting. Surely the Executive should meet on a weekly basis before the Christmas recess for several reasons
- Catch up on the back log of work since the summer
- Do what they can to help the business sector going through recession
- Provide support for the construction industry by bringing forward already budgeted infrastructure projects
- Approve the consultation on the reform of the planning service whose delays are preventing investment and employment opportunities here
Finally, meetings on a weekly basis might start to address the great lack of public confidence in our politicians ability to govern.
Monday, 17 November 2008
Hillary Clinton for Secretary of State?
- http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/nov/17/hillary-clinton-secretary-of-state
The above link is a report from the Guardian stating that Senator Clinton is likely to accept the post of Secretary of State in the Obama Administration.
Should she be successful following the rigorous vetting procedure that will be carried out by Republicans (the US kind), of her and her husband's finances, this will be a big boost to her second run for The White House.
This probably will not happen for eight years as Obama will have more than likely secured an agreement from the Clintons' not to run against him in 2012. Could Obama be getting two for the price of one?
The Clinton Foundation and Global Initiative has meant that Bill and Hillary have maintained excellent relationships with many world leaders including those from countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Could this become a problem if these relationships diverge from the interests of President Obama?
How should we feel? Senator Clinton said in her campaign that the door to her office would always be open to Ireland. Granted that was supposed to be The Oval Office door but the State Department will have to do for now. Irish American Democrats will be hoping that if she takes the role it will be especially good for Ireland.
This could be good for us but again it has to be remembered that we are fighting for space on the US Foreign Policy agenda from now on. Hillary will be friendly towards Ireland and given the pressures faced by the US, Ireland will need all the friends she can get.
Progress this week?
Rumour mill has it that there may be significant progress this week on getting the Executive up and running again. The First and Deputy First Minister are due to meet this week in closed session to discuss policing and justice amongst other things.
The quicker this is sorted out the better. There are many decisions that affect the ordinary everyday lives of people that have been set aside by issues that were always going to be tricky. In the present economic climate this cannot be allowed to continue. Issues from fuel poverty to construction jobs need tackled at Executive level now. Or do they?
Travelling with some friends from Dublin this morning we listened to Margaret Ritchie say that she was trying to tackle fuel poverty and that there was a written procedure that did not require the Executive to meet. My friends asked if decisions can be made through another procedure then why is an Executive needed?
This highlights the frustration felt by people who are not even from here so what must it be like for families facing someone in the house become unemployed in the teeth of Christmas?
The Ministers all need to hurry up, meet and take action whilst anyone who has any faith in politics still cares.
The quicker this is sorted out the better. There are many decisions that affect the ordinary everyday lives of people that have been set aside by issues that were always going to be tricky. In the present economic climate this cannot be allowed to continue. Issues from fuel poverty to construction jobs need tackled at Executive level now. Or do they?
Travelling with some friends from Dublin this morning we listened to Margaret Ritchie say that she was trying to tackle fuel poverty and that there was a written procedure that did not require the Executive to meet. My friends asked if decisions can be made through another procedure then why is an Executive needed?
This highlights the frustration felt by people who are not even from here so what must it be like for families facing someone in the house become unemployed in the teeth of Christmas?
The Ministers all need to hurry up, meet and take action whilst anyone who has any faith in politics still cares.
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